After a long 13km descent, I reach the bottom of the second climb and it hits me all at once; heat, hunger and fatigue. The next few kilometres are tough, every pedal turn a battle, my muscles aching and my positive mindset nowhere to be found. I think about giving up and walking up the rest of the hill, but I remind myself that if it’s hard for me, it’s hard for everyone. I owe it to myself to finish. Anyway, if I stop, how would I get to the top? I have no choice but to just pedal on. I pop my last gel, hoping for an instant boost of positive energy. It kicks in after what feels like a lifetime, but I get to the top in a somewhat decent physical and mental headspace. I did it.
I’m Anne-Sophie, a newbie triathlete who now dedicates over 20 hours per week to training. I got into triathlon after being bored of just running and quickly fell in love with the sport and its community. I moved away from England to join a team in France (where I’m from), where I finished university online and trained on the side.
I’ve done a few hard and mountainous triathlons since the start of the year, but nothing like the challenge I was about to take on. The swim in the Madeleine Triathlon is the only flat section you’ll see. Starting from the ski town of SaintFrançois–Longchamp, 90mins from Grenoble, it’s known as the most mountainous triathlon in France, with a 53km bike course that has 2,200m of elevation gain, which is spread out over two difficult climbs. Both climbs contain numerous long stretches of riding with gradients reaching between 11-14%. The result is a unique atmosphere where no one is focused on speed, but just on getting to the top.
Denne historien er fra November 2021-utgaven av 220 Triathlon.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra November 2021-utgaven av 220 Triathlon.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
How to Carb Load - Packing your working cells with carbohydrates in the build-up to your big race is a proven strategy to race stronger and faster...
Whichever distance triathlon you're racing, the intensity and duration of your activity will see your body tap into its stores of carbohydrates (in the form of glycogen) to power your effort. While it's possible to top up your tank on the go, it's better to start your event with your stores full to the brim.
The Olympic Champion - On 31 July, Great Britain's Alex Yee put together arguably the greatest one-day performance we have ever seen at an Olympic Games to win gold. And we were there at the finish line to speak to tri's new poster boy...
The opening line of the race report read how 20 years on from New Zealand’s first and only Olympic triathlon gold medal, Hayden Wilde had put in a careerbest performance to regain the title for his nation. Then Alex Yee comes around the corner.Yee’s charge, seemingly from nowhere on the final lap of the 10km run in Paris, didn’t just help him become the most decorated Olympic male triathlete of all time, and didn’t just cap a rivalry that has been building for six years, it left seasoned watchers of swim, bike, run in awe. It will go down as one of the greatest triathlon races; Yee, still just 26, as one of the greatest triathletes. His medals from Paris added to the two from Tokyo, leaving his haul at two gold, a silver and a bronze, and counting.
"I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INFLUENCE THE GROWTH OF TRIATHLON"
British Triathlon CEO Ruth Daniels talks Paris, her plans to grow tri and her own personal goals... knees allowing
ZWIFT RIDE
£1,199.99 Zwift's new Ride is an indoor bike that might help you break your PB... but won't break the bank
PARIS SHOWED THE VALUE OF OLYMPIC EXPERIENCE
With the spotlight on triathlon like never before at these Games, debutant athletes talked about being overwhelmed by the unique environment
GAMES AT THE GAMES
After watching and enjoying the Olympic triathlon events, Brunt amused himself by playing the 'guess how far into each event I would die' game...
WHERE EAGLES DARE
With little heat prep, the wrong gear choice and a course-recce mistake, would experienced extreme triathlete Sean McFarlane soar like an eagle or drop like a stone in Italy?
HOW TO INCREASE RUN PACE WHEN FATIGUED
The ability to dig deep in the latter stages of a race helped Alex Yee achieve Olympic gold. Here Ben, a member of Team GB's coaching staff in Paris, explains how you too can find that extra gear...
BUYER'S GUIDE: BIKE COMPUTERS
Log your rides, find your way and monitor your multisport training with a quartet of impressive bike computers...
POLAR GRIT X2 PRO
\"You can't be anything other than impressed with the GPS, whose design is one of the significant changes to the V3\"
